CM Punk commented on his return to WWE at Survivor Series 2023 during WWE’s 2024 preview special on Peacock.
He stated, “Everything happened that day so fast. You should never text and drive, ladies and gentlemen. I was trying to drive to the Allstate Arena and let everybody that deserved to know that was in my orbit know what was about to happen. I’m texting my sisters. Nobody knew. That’s how you get things done in this business. You keep things close to the vest. You don’t leak stuff. That’s when the magic happens. It was a magical moment.
There were so many things going through my head. The nerves, people I hadn’t seen in ten years. I had questions, concerns, maybe even worries. It was all solved the instant the song hit and I walked out in front of my hometown. I couldn’t hear the song anymore. I didn’t know my cues. All of it went out the window, I couldn’t hear the song, I could only hear the people. It was a magical moment.”
(quotes courtesy of Jeremy Lambert)